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LGHL Ohio State’s athletic revenue leads country at $280M; Men’s basketball drops 13th-straight road game

Ohio State’s athletic revenue leads country at $280M; Men’s basketball drops 13th-straight road game
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

FRED SQUILLANTE / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

For your Earholes...​


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

On the Gridiron​


Ohio State football: C.J. Stroud earns Rookie of the Year, Browns OL Dawand Jones named to all-rookie team
Raymond Lucas Jr., 247Sports

We new C.J. was a lock, but I love seeing this one too:


Excited for our guy @dawandj79 on being named to the PFWA All-Rookie offensive team!

: https://t.co/S4anBccq4o pic.twitter.com/oowfsCZfId

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 23, 2024​
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Four Buckeyes Land on ESPN’s Way-Too-Early 2024 College Football All-America Team, Most of Any School
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors

You’re Nuts: Which college football player would be your dream transfer portal target for Ohio State?
Brett Ludwiczak and Matt Tamanini, Land-Grant Holy Land

On the Hardwood​


Ohio State’s road struggles continue, falling to Nebraska 83-69
Justin Golba, Land-Grant Holy Land


Chris Holtmann is red-faced, furious and absolutely lighting the #Buckeyes up in this timeout.

— Adam Jardy (@AdamJardy) January 24, 2024​
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Ohio State has no answers for Nebraska’s Rienk Mast: 5 takeaways
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Quick Takes: Buckeyes do themselves no favors in latest road loss at Nebraska (paywall)
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

For Ohio State men’s basketball, it’s time to conquer road woes or watch this season slip away
Connor Lemons, Land-Grant Holy Land


Sunday’s Iowa-Ohio State overtime thriller on NBC and @peacock is the most-watched regular season women’s college basketball game since 2010.

Details here: https://t.co/FiBA74QBWe pic.twitter.com/brbdZkP7mH

— NBC Sports PR (@NBCSportsPR) January 23, 2024​
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Ohio State women’s overtime upset over Iowa draws a record breaking number of viewers
Brianna Mac Kay, The Columbus Dispatch

Ohio State women’s basketball commit Jaloni Cambridge selected to McDonald’s All-American Team
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Outside the Shoe and Schott​


OSU athletics tops nation with $280 million revenue in ‘23 fiscal year
Bill Rabinowitz, The Columbus Dispatch

Men’s Volleyball: Pasteur Earns MIVA, AVCA POW Honors
Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Gymnastics: Harris and Hodges Earn B1G Weekly Awards
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...​


Here’s me on a local Minnesota TV station talking about sports broadcasting rights.



View this post on Instagram​


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Google What landing 2025 four-star offensive tackle Carter Lowe would mean for Ohio State: Buckeye Breakfast - cleveland.com

What landing 2025 four-star offensive tackle Carter Lowe would mean for Ohio State: Buckeye Breakfast - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

What landing 2025 four-star offensive tackle Carter Lowe would mean for Ohio State: Buckeye Breakfast cleveland.com

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Google Ohio State football shows 2025 four-star safety they’re serious about relationship: Buckeyes Recruiting - cleveland.com

Ohio State football shows 2025 four-star safety they’re serious about relationship: Buckeyes Recruiting - cleveland.com
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Ohio State football shows 2025 four-star safety they’re serious about relationship: Buckeyes Recruiting cleveland.com

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Google C.J. Stroud gives back to Ohio State as Texans star QB makes significant donation to Buckeyes' NIL collective - CBS Sports

C.J. Stroud gives back to Ohio State as Texans star QB makes significant donation to Buckeyes' NIL collective - CBS Sports
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

C.J. Stroud gives back to Ohio State as Texans star QB makes significant donation to Buckeyes' NIL collective CBS Sports

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Google Skull Session: Ohio State’s QB Room is Stacked, The Buckeyes Have a Three-Game Schedule in 2024 and C.J. Str - Eleven Warriors

Skull Session: Ohio State’s QB Room is Stacked, The Buckeyes Have a Three-Game Schedule in 2024 and C.J. Str - Eleven Warriors
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Skull Session: Ohio State’s QB Room is Stacked, The Buckeyes Have a Three-Game Schedule in 2024 and C.J. Str Eleven Warriors

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Google Julian Sayin picks Ohio State: What it means for the Buckeyes - Sports Illustrated

Julian Sayin picks Ohio State: What it means for the Buckeyes - Sports Illustrated
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

  1. Julian Sayin picks Ohio State: What it means for the Buckeyes Sports Illustrated
  2. Julian Sayin transfers to Ohio State: Former five-star Alabama signee adds to Buckeyes' loaded QB room CBS Sports
  3. Ohio State Football: Buckeyes trending for 5-star quarterback On3.com

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Google Across The Shield: Six Players from Ohio State Advance to NFL Conference Championship Games, C.J. Stroud Feeli - Eleven Warriors

Across The Shield: Six Players from Ohio State Advance to NFL Conference Championship Games, C.J. Stroud Feeli - Eleven Warriors
via Google News using key phrase "Buckeyes".

Across The Shield: Six Players from Ohio State Advance to NFL Conference Championship Games, C.J. Stroud Feeli Eleven Warriors

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LGHL Ohio State’s road struggles continue, falling to Nebraska 83-69

Ohio State’s road struggles continue, falling to Nebraska 83-69
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Basketball: Ohio State at Nebraska

Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes started strong, but struggled to knock down shots and could not overcome a career game from Rienk Mast

On Tuesday night, the Ohio State Men’s Basketball (13-6, 3-5) team fell to the Nebraska Cornhuskers (15-5, 5-4) 83-69 in Lincoln. Rienk Mast recorded 34 points and nine rebounds as the Huskers went ahead late in the first half and never looked back. This is the best 20-game start for the Huskers since 1990-91.

Ohio State got off to a hot start, knocking down its first four field goals and taking a 9-7 lead into the first media timeout. The Buckeyes started hot from the field, going 8-for-14, 2-for-3. However, they missed eight of its next nine shots but still led 26-23 with six minutes left in the half.

Nebraska started connecting from behind the arc, with Rienk Mast knocking down 3-of-4 three-pointers and recording 13 first-half points. He was averaging 12.5 points per game.

At the half, Nebraska led Ohio State 43-35 after a Bruce Thornton jumper was followed up by a Brice Williams tip-in. Mast led Nebraska with 13 points, and Brice Williams added nine points for the Huskers.

For Ohio State, Bruce Thornton led the way with 11 points, and Evan Mahaffey had six points. Jamison Battle recorded five points and five rebounds.

Nebraska scored to start the second half to give them a 10-point lead, but back-to-back three-pointers from Bruce Thornton and Jamison Battle cut the Husker lead to four.

After some back-and-forth basketball, the Buckeyes and Huskers got back-to-back three-pointers from C.J. Wilcher and Mast, and Nebraska led 57-47 with 12 minutes remaining.

After two free throws from Eli Rice, the Huskers took a 59-47 lead. Mast knocked down two more three-pointers, and the Huskers started to pull away, leading 65-49. The two three-pointers gave Mast six on the night, his previous high being four. He was 6-for-7 from three.

The Buckeye's struggles continued from the field, as they brought in Bowen Hardman, who has only played 12 minutes this season, to try and provide some spark off the bench. He did knock down two three-pointers on five attempts.

The Buckeyes fell 83-69 as they could never close the gap.

Road Woes​


The difficulty the Buckeyes have had winning away from Columbus has been well-documented. The Buckeyes lost 12 straight road games entering this contest in Lincoln, and their last road win came on Jan. 1, 2023, at Northwestern, a game they won easily.

On the other hand, Nebraska has played its best basketball at home, earning wins over Purdue, Michigan State, Indiana, and Northwestern in conference play.

Evan Mahaffey gets comfortable​


Evan Mahaffey, a sophomore transfer from Penn State, has been a starter all season for the Buckeyes, and while he has been great on defense, he has yet to really make an impact on the offense end. That changed Saturday against his former school on Saturday when he recorded 16 points and five rebounds and was the leading scorer in’ the Buckeyes' 79-67 win.

If Mahaffey can turn into an eight to ten-point scorer a game, that could be the scoring help they need from a fourth option.

Scotty Middleton returns​


The Buckeye's top freshman, Scotty Middleton, missed the Buckeye's win over Penn State due to a suspension for a violation of team rules. The suspension’s length was unknown at the time, but it ended up being just one game. Middleton is averaging 4.7 points per game and 1.8 rebounds per game in 16.8 minutes per game.

Hot shooting Huskers​


Nebraska has shot the three-ball well all season, and this one was no different. The Huskers shot 5-for-9 from three during its 30-13 run in the first half. Through the first 30 minutes of the game, the Huskers shot 10-for-22 from three, while the Buckeyes were 4-for-13 from three-point range through the same time period.

Career game from Rienk Mast​


Rienk Mast, a graduate senior transfer from Bradley, has had a great season for the Huskers, averaging 12.5 points per game and 8.4 rebounds per game. However, he had a career game against Ohio State, knocking down six three-pointers and scoring 28 points through the first 31 minutes of the game.

Bowen Hardman sees the floor​


Sophomore guard Bowen Hardman, who has only played in six games this season for 12 minutes, entered the game with six minutes left and the Buckeyes down by 16. Hardman immediately shot five three-pointers, going 3-for-6 from the field and recording eight points.

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LGHL How Julian Sayin’s commitment could impact the future of Ohio State’s quarterbacks room

How Julian Sayin’s commitment could impact the future of Ohio State’s quarterbacks room
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The commitment of the top-rated quarterback in the 2024 class is sure to have some ripple effects.

The Buckeyes landed a huge commitment over the weekend with the transfer of quarterback Julian Sayin, who had originally signed to play at Alabama. With Nick Saban’s retirement, Sayin entered the transfer portal and will be a Buckeye.

“Incredibly excited to join the team here at Ohio State,” Sayin told ESPN on Sunday. “I held this program in high regard throughout my entire recruiting process and am looking forward to learning from some of the most talented players and coaches in college football and contributing to our team’s success.”
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The top-rated quarterback in the 2024 class, Sayin arrives to find his position group full of talent. He joins fourth-rated 2024 quarterback Air Noland, returners Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz, and Kansas State transfer Will Howard.

Ryan Day obviously wants to find the best quarterback to run his offense, and adding Sayin is sure to have at least a few ripple effects.

Howard seems likely to be the starter in 2024. He had options and chose to transfer to Ohio State, so that would indicate he’s the man to beat for the job, especially with his experience advantage.

Howard posted similar numbers at Kansas State to what Kyle McCord produced at Ohio State last year, but the transfer will now have a much better supporting cast. Because Howard only has one year of eligibility, his arrival alone was not likely to send anyone into the transfer portal.

But Sayin’s arrival changes the future landscape of Day’s quarterback room. That’s not a reason not to gladly accept his commitment. After all, a great quarterback can elevate a team and help it reach greater heights. But with five quarterbacks now in the group, snaps for some of them will be hard to come by for a while.

The most obvious future ramification comes down to Sayin vs. Noland in terms of who can gain an advantage over the other incoming freshman. It’s unlikely both Sayin and Noland finish their careers at Ohio State. One of them will likely depart to become the leader somewhere else — assuming, of course, that both young signal callers adapt to the college game and excel.

That probably won’t happen this spring, and both will likely redshirt while Howard leads the Buckeyes in 2024.

Brown seems the likely candidate to become the primary backup in 2024, and the favorite to become QB1 in 2025, but there are no guarantees there. With the pedigrees that Sayin and Noland arrive with, it wouldn’t be the biggest shock if both quickly rose up the depth chart and started pressing Brown and Kienholz.

While that may not happen during the upcoming spring, it will be interesting to see if both Brown and Kienholz stay in Columbus when the transfer portal opens again.

Day would no doubt like them both to return, giving him some coverage in case something happens to Howard (again, assuming he wins the starting job over Brown). Neither has much experience, but they’ve both been in the program and have a leg up on the freshmen. Both are likely to play in the second halves of blowout games, earning more experience in 2024 and getting chances to make their case for a post-Howard world.

But there is a possibility that Brown or Kienholz (or even both) will transfer out after the spring. The latter scenario would be less than ideal, leaving Ohio State with a pair of true freshmen backing up Howard. If Brown does transfer out, Howard had better stay healthy and Day must accelerate the learning curve of his freshmen. If Kienholz leaves, things look a little less bleak if something happens to the winner of the Howard/Brown battle.

Looking ahead a couple of years, after Howard has left the program, it seems unlikely that both Brown and Kienholz will be here, and even less likely that both Sayin and Noland will still be Buckeyes. This is the age of the portal, and the landscape can change quickly. That will require Ohio State to continue recruiting the position well, and perhaps Day will have to revisit the portal for depth.

Any way you look at it, it’s a great “problem” to have. Too much talent? There’s no such thing.

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LGHL You’re Nuts: Which college football player would be your dream transfer portal target for Ohio State?

You’re Nuts: Which college football player would be your dream transfer portal target for Ohio State?
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Western Michigan v Iowa

Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Your (almost) daily dose of good-natured, Ohio State banter.

The introduction of the transfer portal has drastically changed college athletics. Just look at the last three weeks for Ryan Day. The Ohio State head coach felt his seat start to get warmer after the Buckeyes looked totally inept in the Cotton Bowl against Missouri. Then Day not only puts together a massive haul in the transfer portal, he also brings in Bill O’Brien to take over as offensive coordinator for Ohio State. Not that Day won’t have a ton of pressure on him in 2024, he has just been able to make a string of smart moves to try and stack the deck in his favor.

What a last couple weeks it has been for Ohio State football in the transfer portal. The Buckeyes found a replacement for quarterback Kyle McCord, bringing in Kansas State quarterback Will Howard. Then Ohio State made a splash just as Michigan was winning the national title last Monday by receiving the commitment of Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins. Just a few days later, Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced his retirement, paving the way for safety Caleb Downs and five-star freshman quarterback Julian Sayin to decide their future would be brightest in Columbus.

Since it’s a long offseason, today we figured we’d have a bit of fun with the transfer portal. Because Ohio State has been killing it in the portal lately, why not get greedy? What if you had the power to bring any player in college football to Columbus via the transfer portal to play for the Buckeyes? Who would you take? Would it be a player for a position of need for Ohio State? Or would it be one of the most exciting players in the country at a position of strength for the Buckeyes?

Today’s question: Which college football player would be your dream target for Ohio State in the transfer portal?​

We’d love to hear your choices. Either respond to us on Twitter at @Landgrant33 or leave your choice in the comments.​

Brett’s answer: Luke Lachey​


Cade Stover was one of the best tight ends in school history, becoming just the only other tight end aside from John Frank to record at least 1,000 receiving yards during their Ohio State career. “Farmer Gronk” is now off to the NFL, leaving a big hole at tight end. With Emeka Egbuka injured for a chunk of the season, Stover was the second option in the passing game behind Marvin Harrison Jr. Stover finished the 2023 season with 41 catches for 576 yards and five touchdown receptions.

As if losing a receiver the caliber of Harrison isn’t going to be hard enough for Ohio State, the Buckeyes will also have to try and fill the void left by Stover. Unlike at wide receiver, where Ohio State already has talents like Carnell Tate and incoming freshman Jeremiah Smith to try and replace Harrison, the outlook isn’t quite as clear at tight end. That’s why in a perfect world where Ohio State could bring in any player they wanted, I have the perfect option for them in the transfer portal at tight end.

The 2023 season for Luke Lachey was one to forget. The Iowa tight end was injured three games into the season, finishing the year with just 10 catches for 131 yards. Lachey entered 2023 coming off a sophomore year that saw him haul in 28 passes for 398 yards and four touchdowns. In the Hawkeye offense, 28 receptions might as well be 50-60 catches in a normal offense. Plus, Lachey will definitely have something to prove in 2024 after his junior season was cut short because of injury.

As if bringing in one of the top tight ends in the country wouldn’t be a huge get for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes, another reason my dream transfer portal target this year for Ohio State would be Lachey is because it would be a tremendous story. The father of the Iowa tight end is former Buckeye offensive lineman Jim Lachey, who teams with Paul Keels on the school’s radio broadcasts of the game. The additions of Howard, Downs, Judkins, and others has been great, but if Ohio State found a way to bring in Lachey it would really hit a lot of fans in the feels.

Matt’s answer: Francis Mauigoa​


Since this is ostensibly an exercise in greed, untethered to reality, I would love for the Buckeyes to secure the services of Miami Hurricane offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa. The reasons are obvious; despite the incredible run in the transfer portal and retaining players from last year, the offensive line is still the one position with significant question marks. The Buckeyes added erstwhile Alabama starting center Seth McLaughlin, but otherwise, they have stood firm at o-line, having missed out on a homesick Kayden Proctor who left Tuscaloosa for his hometown Iowa Hawkeyes.

Bringing in Mauigoa would be an immediate line-changing move. Not only was the Bradenton, Florida native a top-10 player in the 2023 class, but he proved how good he could be by being named to numerous freshman All-America lists. He played right tackle for the Canes this season — Proctor was the LT on most freshman AA lists — so he could easily slide into that position for OSU, assuming Ryan Day, Bill O’Brien, Brian Hartline, and Justin Frye are comfortable leaving Josh Simmons on the left side; he started the season looking a little overwhelmed making the jump from San Diego State, but he finished the year as arguably the team’s best offensive lineman.

That would give you a starting offensive line of Simmons at LT, Donovan Jackson at left guard, McLaughlin at center, Josh Fryar at right guard, and Mauigoa at right tackle. While I still might have questions about some of those spots and wouldn’t mind further upgrades, bringing in another lock-down tackle would sure make me feel more comfortable about what Will Howard and the offense could do in 2024.

Of course, the added benefit of bringing in a player like Mauigoa is that you would have him for two seasons. Like Caleb Downs — another freshman All-American — he would almost certainly make an immediate impact, but would be on hand for two years. If he and Simmons didn’t flip sides in 2024, Mauigoa could easily move to the blindside for his junior campaign.

The Buckeyes are unlikely to add another offensive lineman from the transfer portal before the start of spring practice, but they could afterward — as they did last year. But they will assuredly give Luke Montgomery and Tegra Tshabola a chance to solidify starting spots on the line before the team decides if they need to go into the portal once more before the season starts.

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LGHL Ohio State women’s basketball commit Jaloni Cambridge selected to McDonald’s All-American Team

Ohio State women’s basketball commit Jaloni Cambridge selected to McDonald’s All-American Team
ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

11_27_23_GBasketball_Action_8871.0.jpg

Photo from Montverde Academy | MVASports.com

Verbal commit slated to be 14th Buckeye represented at the annual amateur basketball showcase

Tuesday, the annual roster for the McDonald’s All-American team features an upcoming Ohio State women’s basketball freshman. After three of the 2024 incoming class were nominated, guard Jaloni Cambridge made the cut for one of the final 24 spots, according to MaxPreps.

On Dec. 29, 2023, the Buckeyes earned the verbal commitment of the No. 1 point guard, and No. 3 overall ranked, of the 2024 recruiting class. Also, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame named Cambridge a part of its midseason girls team of the year. On top of all that, Cambridge is now set to be the 14th McDonald’s All-American in the scarlet and gray women’s program history.

Cambridge ends a five-year run of no Ohio State recruits represented in the annual basketball showcase, featuring the best amateur players in the country on one team before heading off to college. The last was in 2019, with Canton McKinley (Canton, Ohio) guard Kierstan Bell. The guard ultimately transferred to Florida Gulf Coast University after one season and currently plays for the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA.

Once Cambridge becomes a signed commit, she’ll follow Buckeyes legends whose names are littered throughout the Buckeyes’ history books who also played in the McDonald’s game. Players like guard Kelsey Mitchell, guard Samantha Prahalis and forward Jantel Lavender. Each leaving an impact in the program and at the professional level.

Included in the initial list of over 350 nominees were two signed 2024 commits: Forward Ella Hobbs of North Carolina and guard Ava Watson of Georgia.

This year's McDonald’s All-American Game airs April 2, 2024, live on ESPN2. Cambridge and the group of All-Americans play the 2024 edition of the showcase at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

At the event will be three-point shooting, slam dunk and team shooting events. While the 5-foot-7 Cambridge likely won’t be in the slam dunk contest, three women have won the event in the past, like Tennessee Volunteers and WNBA legend Candace Parker. The shooting event features girls and boys playing alongside past McDonald’s All-Americans.

The game is the feature event of the weekend. It pits the 24 girls against each other in an East vs. West format. At the end of the weekend, an MVP is named from the game.

Since the McDonald’s All-American event started, for boys in 1978 and girls in 2002, Columbus hosted once, in 2010. That was the lone year any Buckeye, man or woman, won a share of the MVP award. That was forward Jared Sullinger, who coincidentally enough won it in his hometown in 2010.

However, head coach Kevin McGuff’s Buckeyes have played against former MVP winners from the illustrious event. Former Columbus-area forward Jordan Horston won in 2019 before playing with the Tennessee Volunteers for four seasons. This year, Ohio State faced the 2023 Co-MVP in USC guard JuJu Watkins.

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LGHL For Ohio State men’s basketball, it’s time to conquer road woes or watch this season slip away

For Ohio State men’s basketball, it’s time to conquer road woes or watch this season slip away
Connor Lemons via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Basketball: Minnesota at Ohio State

Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

With three of their next four games on the road, the Buckeyes have two options: buck their road woes or miss the NCAA Tournament again.

Despite a win on Saturday afternoon against Penn State, the Ohio State men’s basketball team (13-5. 3-4) finds itself in a precarious position. 13-5 is a fine overall record, and 3-4 in the Big Ten isn’t great but is enough to keep the Buckeyes afloat.

But how about 0-3? That, of course, is Ohio State’s record in road games this year — making the Buckeyes one of just two Big Ten teams who have yet to win a game away from home this season (the other being Penn State). The Buckeyes have lost all three of its road games, falling to Penn State, Indiana, and Michigan. But their road woes extend beyond this season — Ohio State lost its last nine road games last season, too — which actually puts their losing streak on the road at an even dozen games. Ohio State has not won on the road since its Jan. 1, 2023 win at Northwestern.

Bruce Thornton: "This one stings. We know how important road wins are."

— Connor Lemons (@lemons_connor) January 7, 2024
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Now, whether Chris Holtmann and his Buckeyes like it or not, they’ll be forced to buck their road struggles over the next two weeks or watch the season slip away right in front of their eyes. Following tonight’s game at Nebraska — where the Huskers have only lost once this season — Ohio State will then travel to Northwestern this weekend. After that, they’ll come home and square off with No. 10 Illinois, followed by another road trip to Iowa City — a place they haven’t won at since the 2020-21 season.

This upcoming four-game stretch is not for the faint of heart. Just to stay afloat and have a mathematical chance at making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in two years, Ohio State has to win at least one of those three road games. That means the Buckeyes will have to do something they haven’t done in over a full calendar year — knock off a solid team on their own court.

Another prickly part of the upcoming four-game stretch is that the only home game — one that we are assuming Ohio State wins here for our own hypothetical purposes — is against a top-10 team that’s looked better than Ohio State on both ends of the floor this season. If the Buckeyes don’t beat Illinois at home on January 30, they’ll need to win another one of those daunted road games to make up for it.

The math for this four-game stretch is simple. Ohio State is 3-4 right now in Big Ten play — a three-way tie for eighth place. If it wins its home game against Illinois and goes 1-2 in the three road games, that puts them at 5-6 in the B1G. Mathematically, they’d almost certainly be eliminated from winning the conference (if you’re still thinking about that kind of thing), but they would still be right there on the NCAA Tournament bubble with nine games to play. If they lose that game against Illinois, Ohio State probably needs to go 2-1 against Nebraska, Northwestern, and Iowa on the road — which seems pretty unlikely the way this team has performed away from Columbus.

I’m drawing a hard line in the sand at 2-2 in these next four games because to me anything less will put this team on life support. If Ohio State does the most likely thing based on their record so far (beat Illinois at home but lose all three road games), they would come out of this four-game stretch at 4-7 in Big Ten play. Knowing that it’ll take at least 10-11 B1G wins to make the tournament, that means the Buckeyes would have to go 6-3 or 7-2 down the stretch to sneak in.

It’s not impossible, but this team hasn’t shown the ability to win games at that level yet.... which means they would almost certainly miss the NCAA Tournament.

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch
Joseph Scheller/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

After losing to Michigan last weekend, Chris Holtmann said that Ohio State’s story is “far from finished.” That may be true, but the tale of these Buckeyes could also come to a premature ending by the first week of February if they can’t buckle down in the next 10 days and find a way to do something they haven’t done in over a calendar year — win one road game.

After these next four, Ohio State will come home and the schedule flips, as they’ll get three out of four at the Schottenstein Center. Unfortunately, that won’t matter if the Buckeyes return home with a 3-8 or 4-7 record in Big Ten play. By that point, this team will be scratching and clawing for any kind of post-season bid — be that NCAA, NIT, CBI, or anything else.

So there you have it. There’s been a lot of talk from this team about how important Big Ten road wins are, and how they’ve let three slip out of their hands already this year. There’s been a lot of talk from this team about how last year’s experience is going to pay dividends this season since the core of this squad took beating after beating last year and learned from it. There’s been a lot of talk from this team about just needing shots to fall, and how the process is sound but the results just haven’t been there lately.

Enough talk. With three road games in the next 10 days, it’s time for the sound process and great preparation to turn into wins. If not, we’ll be having a very uncomfortable conversation in two weeks.

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LGHL Ohio State offensive lineman retires, Cotie McMahon is national player of the week

Ohio State offensive lineman retires, Cotie McMahon is national player of the week
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch

Joshua A. Bickel / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

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On the Gridiron​


Ohio State Offensive Lineman Trey Leroux Moving on From Football After Four Years With Buckeyes
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

Former Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud donates to Buckeyes’ NIL collective
Austin Curtright, USA Today Network

ANNOUNCEMENT Proud that CJ Stroud is our first former student athlete partner to become a major donor and “pay it forward” as he paves the way for those to come next. Thanks so much for your support of THE Foundation CJ. You are truly a Buckeye for life! https://t.co/htkLB83pbF pic.twitter.com/5LQF12LjMx

— THE Foundation (@TheFoundation1_) January 22, 2024
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How Julian Sayin’s commitment could impact the future of Ohio State’s quarterbacks room
Michael Citro, Land-Grant Holy Land

Smith finishes No. 1, Sayin and Houston also lead way for Ohio State recruits in Final Top247 rankings
Bill Kurelic, Bucknuts

Buck-Eye In The Sky: Caleb Downs Transfer Evaluation (paywall)
Mark Porter, Bucknuts

Not Out of the Realm of Possibilities That Ohio State and Oregon Could Meet Three Times Next Season:


College Football Matchups That We're Excited for Next Season...

1 Ohio State at Oregon (Oct. 12)
2 Georgia at Alabama (Sept. 28)
3 Texas @ Texas A&M (Nov. 30)
4 LSU vs USC (Sept. 1)
5 Texas @ Michigan (Sept. 7)
6 Alabama @ Wisconsin (Sept. 14)
7 Colorado @ Nebraska (Sept. 7)
8… pic.twitter.com/YrcFzquXJf

— Blue Bloods Bias (@bluebloodsbias) January 22, 2024​
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Buckeyes needed, getting more ruthless version of Ryan Day (paywall)
Austin Ward, Dotting the Eyes

You’re Nuts: After impressive run of transfer additions, what comes next for Ohio State
Josh Dooley and Gene Ross, Land-Grant Holy Land

New Ohio State Offensive Coordinator Bill O’Brien Has Track Record of Elevating College Quarterback Play
Andy Anders, Eleven Warriors

On the Hardwood​


Cotie McMahon wins Naismith Player of the Week
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State women’s basketball moves to No. 12 in AP Poll
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

‘This game was very personal,’ Cotie McMahon on the victory over Iowa, a win a year in the making
Thomas Costello, Land-Grant Holy Land

Ohio State’s Thrilling Win Over Iowa Can Be Springboard for Buckeye Women’s Basketball Both on the Court and in the Stands
Dan Hope, Eleven Warriors

DLo Has Always Been Insanely Smooth:


DLo's around the back fake had the whole squad on their feet pic.twitter.com/C5j2DkYEtD

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 22, 2024​
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As teams plan to take Bruce Thornton away, can Ohio State adjust?
Adam Jardy, The Columbus Dispatch

Quick hitters from Chris Holtmann Nebraska preview press conference
Andy Backstrom, Lettermen Row

Ohio State’s Scotty Middleton to return at Nebraska after one-game suspension
Patrick Murphy, Bucknuts

Outside the Shoe and Schott​


Men’s Volleyball: Buckeyes Move to No. 1 After Taking Down top-15 Teams in UCLA and USC
Sara Sharp, The Lantern


Ohio State is the new No. 1 in the weekly AVCA Coaches Poll after wins over the weekend against No. 1 UCLA and No. 13 USC. The Buckeyes will face No. 9 Penn State Thursday (6 p.m.) in a Top 10 battle at the Covelli Center in Columbus.https://t.co/2pZmutIWDz#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/rUqhzPujQh

— OSU Men's Volleyball (@OhioStateMVB) January 22, 2024​
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Women’s Ice Hockey: Thiele Named WCHA Goaltender of the Week
Ohio State Athletics

Rifle: Ohio State Sets New Program Aggregate Record vs. TCU
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...​


Not Sure That’s How Copyright Law Works, but I’m Here for the Drama!


Wow, how original. It’s almost like you plagiarized a video from @OhioStateHoops 3 years ago. Oh wait… it’s because you did!

And, because you included a ticket sales link with plagiarized content; you’ve now also opened yourself up to legal action! Great work!!! https://t.co/WvKyBeEzSr

— Kyle Davis (@The_Kyle_Davis) January 22, 2024​
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LGHL I-80 Football Show: Ohio State is all in for a Natty!

I-80 Football Show: Ohio State is all in for a Natty!
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here

NCAA Football: SEC Football Championship-Georgia at Alabama

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio State is loading up to make a run at a national championship while Jim Harbaugh is leaving Michigan hanging.

Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Podcast Network’s I-80 Football Show. On this show, we travel down I-80 to talk all things Big Ten Football. This is the only Big Ten Podcast that’ll cover all 18 teams.

After every week of action, we will catch you up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players you should be paying attention to for the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.


After watching Michigan win the National Championship, Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes are gearing up to win a natty in 2024. Day has fired multiple coaches and hired Bill O’Brien as a play-calling offensive coordinator and to work with the quarterbacks. He also has attacked the transfer portal in a way he never has, landing Quinshon Judkins, Will Howard, and superstar safety Caleb Downs.

With all the changes, Ohio State has to win the Big Ten and make the national championship game or the 2024 season will be disappointing.

On the other hand, following their national title Michigan is having a less than stellar offseason. Head coach Jim Harbaugh continues flirting with the NFL, scheduling second-round interviews with the Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Chargers. Dante and Jordan discuss the impact of Jim not actively working on Michigan’s behalf will have on their 2024 season.

In their weekly pitstops, Jordan believes that the NFL is making a mistake if it decides to change the rule for the offense fumbling out of the endzone. Dante thinks Josh Allen should be talked about the way Lamar Jackson is talked about. They play the same and Allen is less accomplished.


Follow the show on YouTube: @JordanW330

Follow the podcast on Instagram: @I80FootballShow

Connect with us on Twitter: Jordan: @JordanW330 and Dante: @DanteM10216

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